Republicans were swept into near obscurity the year Barack Obama became the first African-American President of the United States. But they stuck to a strategy as “The Party Of NO” which took them from the brink of extinction in 2008 and into the winners circle in 2010.
Last night, Republicans popped champagne corks and celebrated a huge mid-term election victory across a number of political contests. They won several Governorships and upped their anty in the U.S. Senate. But there was no bigger victory than winning back majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives, effectively firing Democrat Nancy Pelosi from the Speaker’s chair in favor of Republican Minority Leader John Boehner, who will assume the gavel and become the next Speaker of the House.
Barack Obama promised a more cooperative and bipartisan environment in Washington. But Republicans had other thoughts in mind, opting to vote NO on any and everything Mr. Obama and the Democrats proposed. It was an odd strategy at first. But it appears now to have paid off in dividends, if only for selfish reasons and at the expense of Americans who desperately needed progress. The GOP’s plan to “JUST SAY NO” to everything successfully clogged up solutions in Washington, prompting the short term memory of a voting electorate’s failure to hold Republicans responsible for anything, but instead to hold the party in power (Democrats) accountable for failing to get things done.
Now, Republicans can no longer hide in the shadows. They asked for the keys to the kingdom and, at least partially, their request was granted. Now, it’s put up or shut up. Republicans must show they can govern. Republicans must show they can get things done. Republicans now own half the responsibility of the current economy, and share in half the responsibility of fixing it. It’s a huge win for them in the short term, but a double-edged sword in the long run. Now that Republicans hold greater power in Washington, they have no further excuse to deflect blame elsewhere regarding political gridlock. If they are unable to get things done in 2010, the tables and the voting public will turn on them in 2012 — and just in time for Mr. Obama’s reelection bid. And then, Democrats just may have the last laugh.
DJ:"Now, it's put up or shut up. Republicans must show they can govern. Republicans must show they can get things done. Republicans now own half the responsibility of the current economy, and share in half the responsibility of fixing it."*Sigh*…Me thinks you give the American people WAAAY too much credit DJ.Watching this whole thing play out as I have over the past 2 years, I'd say that going forward the Repubs really don't have to do anything more than what they've been doing…stick to the strategy of controlling the narrative by effectively using THE MEDIA, keep the President from getting ANYTHING done, further DIVIDE this country and demoralize Democratic voters. That's it.THAT strategy paid off for the Repubs. The American people voted them right back in despite ALL of the mess the GOP (courtesy of Bush & Cheney) is responsible for. The majority of American voters DON'T care!In short: The Repubs don't have to demonstrate that they KNOW… Read more »